Author's note: Chapter been edited. Thank you to my beta Fainting Fancies. 04/30/10

Chapter 11 – A Moral Dilemma

November 2008

Stumbling into the dark apartment together, Amy and Jacob began to laugh. Unfortunately, in the confusion, someone stepped on the cat's tail. At the same time, Jake crashed his elbow into the wall. The pet's squawk of pain mingled with Amy's shriek, and Jacob's gasp instantly stifled the laughter.

"Pixel!" Amy scolded. "Why do you always have to get right under our feet?" The anger in her voice swiftly dimmed as she picked up the purring tabby. "Mommy didn't hurt you, did she?"

No, but I might, Jake thought irritably as he rubbed his arm. The cat's yellow eyes rolled back at him in response, delivering a meaningful glance. As an added bit of punctuation, it flicked its tail. The message was clear.

Why you sneaky little fur-ball, he muttered silently. How sneaky can you get?

But as quickly as the anger had flashed, it easily passed. He couldn't stay mad at the creature for long. From the time he had given Pixel to Amy as a gift, the cat had oddly bonded with him. Raising an eyebrow, he wondered just how intuitive the feline might be.

Wistfully, he watched as Amy moved into the kitchen, hugging the orange longhair. He eyed the furry creature, jealously wishing Amy's arms were holding him as tightly as she was currently squeezing the cat. Although his opportunity for passion had been placed temporarily on hold, it would not be for long – at least if he had anything to say about it. Ever the optimist, Jacob felt his hopes lift as the grin returned to his face.

"I've got three beers left and a Fresca. Oh, and a Dr. Pepper, but that's mine," Amy called out from the kitchen. "Want some pretzels?"

Amy's head was stuck in the refrigerator, and Jake realized this was his chance to move in. Surprising her from behind, he slid his long arms around her waist. With a skill brought on by impatience, he turned her feminine curves to face him and pulled her into his arms. The position was perfect. Unable to wait, his lips attacked her mouth in a lustful kiss. But his advance was halted as he felt Amy's body stiffen. Reluctantly, he loosened his hold. He did not, however, move away.

"Yeah," he answered, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'll have a beer and some pretzels, but maybe I'll have you first."

Ignoring his teasing, she pointed to the couch. "Go," she commanded. "Go sit down, and I'll be there in a minute."

The bedroom's just as close, Jake thought wistfully, but then reconsidered. Better not blow this.

Sprawling into the cushions, he grabbed the controller and began to surf. Soon ESPN appeared to tempt his interest. Still listening for Amy, his mind vaguely monitored the scores of several football games as he waited.

Amy made her way carefully around the couch into the living area, her arms filled with refreshments, but when she spied Jake's long body stretched so lazily on her furniture, she sighed. At least he took off his shoes, she thought. Those stockinged feet were about to get moved.

After placing the bowl of pretzels squarely in the center of the coffee table, she adjusted the napkins in a fan beside it. Soon, two coasters appeared, waiting for the soda and the beer. After everything was perfectly positioned, she turned her attention back to Jacob.

Amy smiled. It was time to take action. Smoothly, she picked up Jacob's legs and dropped them like a sack of potatoes on the floor. Without skipping a beat, she dipped back toward the kitchen for more food.

After Amy made two more trips to the kitchen, the last for matches, Jacob, once again, became impatient. Would she ever sit down? Now that he'd made up his mind, he needed her beside him and in his arms. As Amy lit a candle, the flame's glow began to coat the room with a golden light. At the same time, he placed his hand gently on her back. Turning to look at him, Amy appeared about to speak, her expression vacillating between uncertainty and nervousness.

Jacob tilted his head and smiled. The look he gave her was at once familiar and calming, but it also electrified her. Without conscious thought, she sat down and laid her head on his chest. Immediately, his arms slid around and up her back, his hand cradling her head. The long fingers parted her hair into rivers of chocolate silk, the subtle smell of her perfume arousing his senses.

"Jake," she said softly.

"Hmm," he answered, his lips occupied as they lightly kissed the top of her head.

"Tell me about what happened at the school. You know, after I—"

"Passed out?" Jake interrupted.

There was no need for Amy to explain. Although more than two months had passed since they'd spoken of the event, the intensity of the incident assured clarity. He knew exactly what she was talking about, and he was ready.

Absently, he moved his hand from the back of Amy's head to her neck in an effort to massage her tense muscles. Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes. Maybe tonight, she'll know the truth.

xxxxxxx

June 2009 Present

"AAAHH," Edward screamed. Just moments before, a bolt of movement to his left had signaled danger. But after reaching out his hand to stop her, Amy turned on him. The unexpected blast of energy hit him directly in the chest, the force pinning Edward to the trunk of a nearby pine. But 'nearby' to a vampire was relative. The tree was rooted to the ground more than forty feet from the spot where he had last stood.

"Vampire? Did you say, VAMPIRE?" Amy cried out in fear. "I suck people's blood?"

As she said the words, her nostrils began to flare. Consumed by a combination of anger and terror, the realization of what she'd become sliced her as mercilessly as an executioner's axe. Her world was spiraling out of control, and life was about to deal her one more dose of vampire reality.

At first the aroma was light and diluted, growing stronger and more luscious in the afternoon breeze. Weaving like a serpent, the heavenly scent of fresh human blood floated tantalizingly in the wind. From human habit, she breathed deep in hopes of catching the elusive fragrance, and with the intake of air came a flood of temptation and need. The smell bombarded her raw, newborn nerves to a point far beyond reason, her reaction seemingly unstoppable.

"Oh God," she said softly, her words uttered in response to the lustful perfume that filled the air around her. Confusion and fright mingled with the need to drink, and soon the insatiable urge forced everything else from her brain. As if ignited by desire, Amy tore her blazing eyes away from Edward. A far more pleasing image approached from just beyond the glade to her left.

Three hikers marched forward in single file. They followed a barely visible deer path, and although the small group was still distant, Amy could distinctly hear the crunching of the grass beneath their boots. Her newly heightened sensibilities easily detected the age and sex of the individuals, along with a myriad of other details. Height, weight, and body mass were cataloged, in addition to an obscure array of information. Even the softness of the woman's skin and the texture of the man's beard were absorbed by her predator-gifted mind. She knew what they had eaten that morning and the brand of toothpaste the young teen had used the night before.

"Amy," Edward said quietly, knowing his plea would go unanswered. "Don't."

Spinning completely around, Amy opened her eyes wide and crouched in preparation to strike. All three humans were now centered in her view. She had the perfect shot.

Amy blinked.

At that exact instant, the hikers and the grass on which they tread stopped moving. The travelers halted in mid-step, their features fixed as if petrified. Time and motion, for the threesome, no longer existed. They were as still as if caught in a snapshot.

Her behavior now governed entirely by instinct, Amy shot forward to attack. In horror and disappointment, Edward followed, his speed no match for the newborn. By the time he arrived at her side, a mere millisecond had passed, yet she had already pounced upon the man, knocking his stony body to the turf.

With wild, hungry eyes, Amy pressed her lips to the older man's neck. The need was driving her almost to insanity, yet she hesitated.

This is wrong, she thought. I can't do this.

"I'll help you," Edward said. "I need to get you away from here."

I don't want to hurt him. She pulled away from the man's neck, but her expression had turned to agony. Weakly, she slammed her head back against the man's skin. A moan escaped her parted lips, but the venom-coated teeth never made contact.

Edward forced his arm between the two bodies and grasped Amy by the waist. With all his strength, he pushed upward. Expecting impossible resistance, he had placed all his power into the single blow, his coiled muscles springing forth in a surge of energy.

But Amy had fallen limp against her prey. Overruled by her compassionate nature, the driving instinct to kill had been subdued. Repulsed by her earlier need to murder, she let the man go.

With a sizzling whoosh, Amy's body blasted into the sky. Edward's push had propelled her like a catapult over the treetops, her limbs thrusting crazily forward as her body flew backward.

Edward heard the scream, and his motionless heart filled with distress.

Over a mile away, Amy's body hit the earth with a terrible crunch. The sound of her cries tore him apart. Physically, he knew she would be fine, but even more tortuous to him was the knowledge that she was afraid.

Pouncing forward, he used his speed to appear almost instantaneously by her side. Tenderly, he took her into his arms and cradled her against him.

"Don't cry. I'm here now. I'll take care of you."

"Oh, Edward … I could have killed him," she whimpered in utter misery. "And God … I'm so thirsty. So terribly thirsty …" Her voice trailed off as he continued to rock her gently in her arms.

God, has nothing to do with this, he thought, but as he held her, he felt better. Selfishly, he stroked her arm with his thumb, rationalizing that it would calm her. But he knew it wasn't right. Gritting his teeth, he stopped.

Forcing himself to think, he realized how close she had come to killing a human, but despite her newborn needs, she had successfully turned away from the urge. The strength of her compassion was astounding. Thankfully, she had avoided the guilt of an unwanted murder.

That hadn't been the only surprise. How had she frozen those hikers? He'd seen hundreds of vampires over the years, many of them with remarkable talents, his own mind reading skills among them. But the ability to temporarily freeze her prey was unique. In his entire hundred years of existence, no one had ever done that before.

Keeping an open mind to the hikers' thoughts from across the meadow, Edward listened as they'd returned to normal. The effect seemed to be temporary. Without Amy's continued influence, the humans had recovered quickly and without any apparent memory of the event. While he continued to hold Amy's trembling body, Edward's mind reeled with the possibilities and the potential dangers of her newfound skill. They would have to discuss this in greater detail, but now was not the time. There were more immediate needs.

At the sound of tumbling stone, his attention turned to the mountainside above. Although covered with a thick blanket of clouds, he sensed prey lurking in the fog. Amy needed blood. It was the only way to end her torture.

"Can you stand?" he whispered into her ear, knowing that fear and ignorance were, for the moment, her primary enemies.

"Y-yes," she stuttered.

Propping her onto her feet, Edward moved away, but she bolted back into his arms. It was impossible to be apart from him. The only thing good in her new life was Edward, and now that she'd found him, she was not about to lose him again. Frantically, her body molded into his.

"Don't leave me!" she begged. "I don't want to be alone. Please, Edward!"

Smiling sadly, he nodded, hoping to calm her quaking limbs. He wanted nothing more than to stay forever this way, holding her in his arms, but he fought back the treacherous thoughts. This was not why he had brought her here.

"You need to eat. The blood will help you – make you stronger."

"No! I don't want to kill. I can't," Amy shuddered and then buried her face in his chest.

"Yes, you can. There's a mountain goat just over there," he gestured with his head. "It's only a few yards away. Come on. I'll show you. Don't be afraid."

Lifting her chin with his long fingers, he gazed down into her eyes and smiled again. The subtle twitch of his lips was just as she'd remembered, and her heart filled with love. He had returned to her – her Edward.

"It's easy," he promised. "Won't you try? Just for me?"

Edward's pleading expression melted through her fear. Slowly, she relaxed.

"Okay. If that's what I need to do," she gulped, her determination struggling forward. "Then, let's do it."

"Right," he said as his smile widened. "Follow me."

xxxxxxxx

"He's not doing well," Carlisle announced, his voice laced with concern.

"Well, what do you expect? He's not like us. He was never like us," Rosalie shot back, the hate in her voice crystal clear. "What could Edward possibly have been thinking? Does he want to make a zoo?"

"Don't Rosalie," Carlisle warned. "You know why he did it. I know that doesn't make it right, but …" Sadly, he knelt down beside the bed, his words failing him.

"Love is a powerful thing," Esme tried to explain, her small hand touching her daughter's arm.

Unwilling to listen, Rosalie yanked herself away, and in the process, she tossed her head in frustration. The blond locks twisted around her head with the viciousness of a whip. The action mimicked the contorted appearance of her face as her lips curled downward in disgust.

"As I recall, you decided to make Emmett one of us. You never asked him first," Alice added in Edward's defense, although she knew the argument was weak. She, too, had been shocked by Edward's decision, but it was too late now.

"I hope it fails," she spat back as she looked cruelly down her nose at the crumpled body beneath the white sheet. "He doesn't deserve to be one of us."

"Rosalie, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Carlisle said quietly, his patience growing thin.

"Fine," Rosalie sniffed. "I need some air. It stinks in here."

She had almost made it to the door when the cotton sheet began to shake. It was happening again. Repulsed, Rosalie continued on her way and never looked back. The other three vampires, however, resumed their vigil.

Tenderly, Carlisle laid his hands on the quaking body. "It looks like it's going to be another long night."

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